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More Tablet Rumors: Dual Dock Connectors, Antenna Panel and Optional 3G Support?

miles01110 said:
2 docking ports? Don't think so. It should be fully wireless.
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How do you charge it? One of those induction chargers required?

The secondary effect the cradle/charger can have is to hold the screen up so can view for an extended period of time. Suppose could do that with an induction charger too but this is easier and more standard (at least in the Apple world).
 
Interesting. Just wait and see. Along with the 3G connection, the tablet can become a giant GPS system. It can be mounted on the windshield. :D
 

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3G optional

While i'm all for an optional 3G, I'm scared of the price tag of a non-subsidized tablet. Which is the lesser of two evils? Paying more for the device or being killed slowly in a monthly contract?
 
Wi-Fi a must, proprietary data package with cellphone vendor negative

I would prefer that the tablet have wi-fi connectivity. A vendor-specific data package looks to me as a negative. I can't be the only one tied into a long-term contract with a cellphone carrier (Sprint) that probably will not support it for the foreseeable future.

To me, the perfect choice would be slot where a vendor card could go. Failing that, I would use Wi-Fi for the most part. It is becoming ubiquitous at many places. Libraries, Hotels, and many restaurant chains provide it as a courtesy.
 
Doctor Q said:
Apple is going to fool us all by having the docking connector on the corner, with a triangle-shaped dock that can hold the tablet in either orientation. But the dock will have to be very heavy to prevent the tablet from tipping over!
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Same idea but I was thinking more on the back with magnets pins to each side and an Apple sold stand that looks like the iMac base. That way it could be integrated with the plastic strip in the middle leaving all the metal parts clean.

Similar set up to the gorilliaPod stand you can get for the iPhone already.

Allows for a range of stands to be attached to suit any number of uses.
 
the-oz-man said:
While i'm all for an optional 3G, I'm scared of the price tag of a non-subsidized tablet. Which is the lesser of two evils? Paying more for the device or being killed slowly in a monthly contract?
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For me, being killed slowly for yet another data connection is a no-go. I'd much rather pay more up-front and use Wi-Fi or tethering. I have cable internet at home, a data plan on my iPhone, and a Verizon 3G dongle for my MacBook. I can't justify yet another monthly bill for transferring bits and bytes.
 
MikhailT said:
Ummmm... the tablet is suppose to be the convergence device for.."netbook", "media player", "ebook reader", "portable internet device" and "pen and paper" all in one with a large screen. You need to stop focusing on specific functions and think of the bigger picture that the supposed convergence device that the slate can be. The question you should be asking is not what its main function suppose to be, but what does the slate/tablet do better than a laptop for the same price.
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Other than smaller size and a touchscreen, I have a hard time imagining anything else a tablet could do better than a laptop. If it is bigger than your pocket, it is not as practical as a smartphone and if you need to carry around a bag for it anyways, I doubt the size difference is going to be a killer feature for many. We'll see next week...
 
robfromabove said:
If it indeed comes with a front-facing camera for video chat, then I suppose you would want to have it charging in a docking station while talking for long periods of time. Just a guess, if the rumor is at all accurate.
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Why would you want vertical for viewchat? iChat's 3-way feature takes more horizontal then vertical room. Likewise if want to see both your "outgoing" and "incoming" video side-by-side that is more naturally horizontal than vertical. (e.g., http://www.apple.com/macosx/what-is-macosx/ichat.html or
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2515 )
Additionlly if there is no layering of windows you need room for you buddies pallete and other controls which are also typically vertically oriented to fit horizontally side-by-side.


If thinking need to push the camera higher to see you ... that a different issue for which the device probably isn't that tall to solve. (may solve with tilt). Most laptops have horizontally oriented screens and they do just fine.
 
Disabling the data plan

beaner454 said:
Hell-I wish I didn't have to have my data connection for my iPhone.
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You should be able to do this, at least with AT&T. Just log in to your AT&T account online and modify your features. Toggle off the iphone data plan. But then make sure to turn off data roaming on your phone or you will likely accrue massive per MB data charges. I did it by accident once. It is supposed to be required, but maybe they won't notice :)
 
HONDAxACURA said:
Interesting. Just wait and see. Along with the 3G connection, the tablet can become a giant GPS system. It can be mounted on the windshield. :D
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In some places you may get pulled over and perhaps a ticket for that. A 10" screen in your windshield will significantly obscure your field of view out the window. GPS devices stop around 4-4.5" for a reason.
 
MikhailT said:
You mean wireless syncing as well as wireless charging? That would be awesome.

But wireless may not be fast enough if Apple wants to do a docking station for the tablet, allowing the ability to not only do syncing, but provide keyboard/mouse, external monitor, usb/firewire devices and so on which could turn the tablet into a netbook/small laptop for those who wants it. Either way, there'll be a dock/stand for the tablet.
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Syncing? What would it sync with? I dont think it is going to be an iPod where it needs to sync with anything. It should be a computer just slower, and no keyboard. I can see a dock for the keyboard part (but i think more of a stand that also charges) would probably be enough.
 
MacRumors said:
due to the fact that metal prevents radio signal transmissions.
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Yeah, no.

Pretty much all antennas in the world are made of metal. Nice "fact".

SOME metal, such as aluminum, blocks radio signals. But for the most part, metal strengthens radio signals.
 
jeznav said:
I can understand docking it horizontally, but when would you want it to dock vertically? Will it come with two docks? Nah...Just one, but it would look awkward putting this vertically with 1.5" of the dock sticking out on each side.
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huh?

You are talking about a 8x6 inch device ( assuming 16:9 ratio and 10 inch screen )

The dock isn't going to be narrow like an ipod dock, it would be wide and flat with a backing bar so that you could have it stand in "portrait mode" or "landscape" mode. It will look like a television, or a picture frame... you won't see the dock.
 
Honestly? I think the dock connector needs to die. It provides no benefits now that Apple has removed the Firewire circuits. It's basically just a giant USB 2.0 port. Why don't they just use a standard mini-USB port?
 
Pigumon said:
Yeah, no.

Pretty much all antennas in the world are made of metal. Nice "fact".

SOME metal, such as aluminum, blocks radio signals. But for the most part, metal strengthens radio signals.
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Any conductive metal (steel, aluminum, copper, gold, etc.) surrounding an antenna is the problem. If the case had the proper geometry to be used as an antenna, there would be no problem, but if you surround a source of RF energy with metal, you will have a problem.

In other words, the fact that antennas are metal doesn't mean if you make your house out of sheet metal you will improve your HDTV reception; quite the opposite.
 
AidenShaw said:
Yes, amazing. And what if there's no tablet?



MacRumours understatement of the year.
_______________

There's going to be so much disappointment on the 27th.

Nothing could live up to the hype that's building up.

Smart AAPL investors will sell on the 26th, and buy on the 28th.
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Ha... let's test your powers of prognostication. Search for "Aidenshaw" with keyword "stock". Found many posts -- pick one at random in the middle of the first page:

https://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=7481665&stock#post7481665

Read said post. You clearly question Apple's decision (smartness?) in not using its reserves to invest in netbooks and mid-towers. So, I assume a smart investor who knows that a company has a bad strategy would not buy said stock, right?

OK. April 9th, 2009 (date of above post), Apple's stock price was $119.57.

Apple closed today (down $3.57) at $208.07, or 74% higher than April 19th.

I'm not saying Apple has a winning strategy or not. But, it's clear to me that you don't know whether it does or not either.
 
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